Mentoring: women learning from others

Informal mentoring allows a relationship to evolve naturally over time much like a friendship, without an official obligation or commitment to coach someone. However, some women prefer a more formal, organizationally driven approach to mentoring. In either case, both represent an opportunity to learn and grow. In Learning from Other Women, Carolyn Duff interviewed many women to understand their expectations, preferences, and experiences. Mentoring, Duff says, "begins with affinity between two people, but the focus remains around work. It's a magical thing that happens when one person sees something in another person and wants to help that person grow." This column explores some of the barriers, as well as how to ask for help and benefit from a mentor. Whether you like the word "mentoring" or not, whether your organization has a formal program or not, always be thinking about how you can learn from others. Keep your eyes and mind open, look around to see who is doing what you want to do.